Driving back home to Cape Town from our December holiday (and weddings / honeymoon) we experienced what is sure to be the first of many race-related mix ups. My brother had joined us for the trip back and a few hours into the journey we stopped for coffee and breakfast. After he and I got our coffees we waited, alongside my husband, for our toasted sarmies.
When the (black) staff member called out our order number and we all three said it as ours, I asked my hubby to grab the sandwiches as our hands were full with coffees, keys etc. As he stepped forward and tried to take the package the waiter resisted and tugged back on the packet trying desperately to save my brother and my food from this so-called stranger! After two or three attempts to explain that yes, we were in fact all together, and hubby could take our food, we were able to make our way out unscathed with breakfast in tow!
We had a good laugh about it for the next few minutes and to be honest, I haven’t thought much more about it until starting this blog. I have no doubt that we will have many stories like this (or worse) to share as we live our lives as a mixed-race couple in South Africa, but I’m hoping that we will be able to face them all as we did this one – by walking away laughing out loud!
The Blonde Makoti 